HOUSTON – Nicholas J. Ganjei has been appointed as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX), announced Acting Attorney General James McHenry.
“I am humbled by the honor and am excited to lead the SDTX,” said Ganjei. “This opportunity to once again serve the American people is both a tremendous responsibility and a great privilege. This office will play a critical role in ensuring our border is secure and the American people are kept safe. I look forward to working alongside some great prosecutors, staff and law enforcement partners.”
Ganjei was sworn in by U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton shortly after noon, in front of SDTX staff, several federal judges, and court personnel.
Previously, Ganjei served as acting U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. He began his career with the Department of Justice in 2008 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney on the U.S.-Mexico border, handling cases involving organized crime, immigration, narcotics, human trafficking, fraud, public corruption, and white-collar crimes.
As U.S. Attorney for one of the largest districts in the United States, Ganjei will oversee law enforcement activities across 43 counties with a population of nine million people over 44,000 square miles. The district includes seven U.S. District Court divisions located in Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo.
Before joining the Department of Justice, Ganjei clerked for Judges Richard Allen Griffin and Ralph R. Erickson on the Sixth and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeals respectively. He has also taught civil, criminal, and constitutional law at collegiate and law school levels.
Most recently before this appointment, Ganjei was chief counsel to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution where he managed legal matters concerning criminal justice, border security, judicial nominations, antitrust issues, intellectual property rights and religious liberty.